You can buy the ad-free PDF on my Ravelry or Etsy pages for $1 if you don’t want to scroll for the free version later in this post (I get it, I missed ‘how to be patient day’ in school too).

Last year, Alexi of Two of Wands reached out to me asking if I would like to take part in the Lion Brand Traveling Afghan project. Um, heck yes, I do. So behold my square (#7) for the blanket!

What is the Traveling Afghan Project?

The Traveling Afghan project is a year long blanket project brought together by Lion Brand Yarn using Woolease. In an effort to bring makers together from all around the world, they came up with the “My Life in Yarn” campaign! This project has both a knit blanket version, and a crochet, meaning there is a total of 49 different designers adding their creativity to squares of their own that you can make along with us. At the end, you will have a stunning blanket, will have met new people, and learnt a whole bunch of new techniques you may not have known before.

Go on. . .

There are two traveling afghans (a knit version and a crochet version) that set sail from New York City and are journeying to a new designer every two weeks. Each designer is creating a 10″ x 10″ square to add to the blanket before sending it off to the next person. All the designers are publishing their square patterns for free online so that YOU can follow along with us and create your own knit or crochet afghan! I am pleased to be the 7th stop of the knit afghan and have loved following along with all the squares that have already been made. This year-long collaborative effort will feature stories from the designers about their paths as makers, and will give you the opportunity to learn new stitches and make new friends in the community along the way!

SO MUCH FUN, right?!

Here’s how you can participate:

1. Purchase a yarn kit now for either the knit or crochet Traveling Afghan so you have everything you need to get started with us when the first square pattern is released in January. Note that you do not need to purchase a kit to join – you’re welcome to use any yarn you like, including what you already have in your stash! You’ll need worsted weight yarn and size US 8 (5mm) knitting needles or a J/10 (6mm) crochet hook.

2. Visit this page here for the itineraries of the afghans below along with the master list of all designers and links to their sites so you can follow along as they travel around the world and new patterns get released.

3. Follow the designers on social media to get updates on their pattern releases and learn about their maker journeys. There may even be some giveaways to enter!

4. Host a CAL or KAL with your local maker friends! Get together throughout the year in person or online to add your squares. We would love to see YOUR life in yarn too, so make sure to tag Lion Brand Yarn and My Life in Yarn in your posts and use the hashtags #travelingafghans #lionbrandyarn and #mylifeinyarn and either #travelingknitafghan or #travelingcrochetafghan. You can also post your projects to Ravelry (see FAQ below for Ravelry details and step by step instructions).

Hey Christie – so what’s YOUR yarn story?

If you follow me on Instagram or know me in person? You know that my humour is all that I have, even at its worst. The very, very short but sweet version: I learned to knit in 2017 because I really wanted to learn to arm knit those insanely giant blankets. Which I did and my shoulders shoulders finally got the workout they deserved. Arm knitting soon turned into learning how to knit and purl and then I immersed myself into all things yarn. I fell in love with knitting, the maker community and now have the honour to be a member of the Our Maker Life Team. Christie Bodden Designs is a labour of both sarcasm and love. The rest, as they say? Is history(Ish).

Why the square design?

I am originally from the United States and moved to Canada 10 years ago. I live in Victoria, BC on Vancouver Island and that’s been the inspiration for my square.

I have 3 young children and we spend a great deal of time, year-round, at the beach or hiking. We love the forest, the ocean and everything the Pacific Northwest has to offer. The people and the scenery here are unlike no other and I couldn’t be more proud to call a place home.

My favourite stitch pattern reminds me of both the ocean and the forest. Nautical but also natural. It’s a diagonal stitch design that, to me, represents the waves or even the leaves on the trees (many which remain on the trees all year because of the mild climate here). Now, I may be seeing things and you may think I’m totally out there, because hello, but I feel like the contemporary vibe just mixes in with the motif I was going for(ish).

You can continue to scroll for the free pattern below, or find the ad-free PDF on Ravelry HERE or Etsy HERE.

The Making Waves Square Pattern

What you need:

•1 skeins of Lion Brand Woolease or approximately 72m/79yards of another worsted weight yarn, category 4

•Size US 8/5mm needles Size US

• Scissors

•Darning needle

Dimensions:

Height: 10”/25cm

Width: 10”/25cm

Difficulty Level

Advanced Beginner

Terminology

CO = Cast On

K = Knit

P = Purl

ST(S) = Stitch(es)

BO = Bind Off

The Pattern

Garter Stitch Border

On 5mm needles CO 48 sts

Rows 1-4: K all sts

Start the diagonal pattern

Row 1: K4 *K4, P4* repeat * to * to last 4 sts, K4

Row 2: K4 *K3, P4, K1* repeat * to * to last 4 sts, K4

Row 3: K4 *P2, K4, P2* repeat * to * to last 4 sts, K4

Row 4: K4 *K1, P4, K3* repeat * to * to last 4 sts, K4

Row 5: K4 *P4, K4* repeat * to * to last 4 sts, K4

Row 6: K4 *P3, K4, P1* repeat * to * to last 4 sts, K4

Row 7: K4 *P1, K4, P3* repeat * to * to last 4 sts, K4

Row 8: K4 *K4, P4* repeat * to * to last 4 sts, K4

Row 9: K4 *K3, P4, K1* repeat * to * to last 4 sts, K4

Row 10: K4 *P2, K4, P2* repeat * to * to last 4 sts, K4

Row 11: K4 *K1, P4, K3* repeat * to * to last 4 sts, K4

Row 12: K4 *P4, K4* repeat * to * to last 4 sts, K4

Repeat rows 1-12 four more times.

Then repeat rows 1-5 once more.

Border

Rows 1-4: K all sts

Row 5: BO all sts

Cut yarn and weave in ends.

Block your piece. I repeat: BLOCK YOUR PIECE to ensure it will be 10” x 10” to line up with the other squares of your Traveling Afghan. Thread your tail end of yarn onto a darning needle. Using mattress stitch or a wip stitch, seam your square to the rest of your #traveingKnitAfghans project. Or if you hate seaming, like me? Beg someone to do it for you (which I didn’t do, I swear).

Do you have questions? Send me an email at hello@christieboddendesigns.com, or find me here:

Instagram – @christieboddendesigns

Facebook – www.facebook.com/christieboddendeisgns

The fine print

This pattern is a copyright of Christie Bodden Designs. Making Waves Squares created using this pattern may be sold with credit given to Christie Bodden Designs. Pattern and photos can not be used for resale purposes.

Please share your work with the hashtag #TravelingAfghans and #christieboddendesigns to share the handmade love!

Bind off and pull a loop through the last bind off stitch. Replace your needle with the crochet hook and chain 20-30 to make the second tie. Pull the last chain through and weave in both ends of each tie.

Fold your bonnet in half and using the mattress stitch method, seam the top of the bonnet together.

For the ears (make 2):

Cast on 5(10) stitches Knit 8(16) rows. Cut yarn leaving a long tail. Use a darning needle (or a smaller crochet hook) pull the tail and secure. Sew ears to the bonnet – I typically put them in the middle top 1/4 area of the bonnet.

Do you ever look back on a night that you may have had one too many and thought ‘what the crap was that?’ THAT was my 2019. This is certainly not to say it was the worst year but geez were there some moments that I just wanted to have a do over, then a do over to that do over. I promised too much, had plans that I just couldn’t get to, spread myself too thin, made promises I couldn’t keep, had BIG ideas for Christie Bodden Designs, got rejected from joining the military and well my kids? Okay, my kids are incredible but there were bits and pieces of news that I wish I didn’t have to endure.

I keep most of bummer stuff to myself – ask anyone who knows me well and they will tell you I am always ‘good’ when asked how things are, always smiling, always positive. They know my deep dark side too but in the end? It’s important for me to keep my head and mental state above water. So with the ick that was 2019? There were FAR more ‘yay!’ moments! Those are the moments that kept me going, kept me motivated, kept me sane(ish). Those moments will be shared over the course of this month as they all tie into my very, very lax plans for 2020.

The only resolution I have for the year is to grow my bangs out. That alone is going to be taxing so I don’t want to hold any other expectations over my head to have them not come to fruition by December. Wait, this blog too. This blog is another resolution. Shoot. Okay, that’s it though. This will be enough and the other plans and hopes I have – I’ll work my tail feathers off to see that they come to fruition but between bangs and blogging? Oy vey y’all, I may not even be able to go outside.